Dec. 22, 2017
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
THE FLATS – Grant Benzinger scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half as Wright State rallied from an nine-point halftime deficit to win 85-81 at Georgia Tech on Friday night.
The Raiders trailed 40-31 at halftime after Tech shot 57.1 percent, but the visitors uncorked a 35-15 run to start the second half in what looked like a different game.
Wright State entered the contest shooting 30.8 percent from beyond the arc, and made just 3-of-11 in the first half, yet hit its first three 3-pointers of the second, and 6-of-9 overall , including Cole Gentry’s shot for a 55-53 lead with 12:04 left.
The Raiders stretched the lead to 66-55 on three free throws by Benzinger with 9:15 remaining.
Tech rallied to take a 77-75 lead on a layup by Ben Lammers with 2:32 left, but Benzinger’s third 3-pointer, with 2:12 to go, gave the Raiders a 78-77 lead that they held.
Loudon Love added 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds as the Raiders (8-5) cranked up their offense in the second half.
Jose Alvarado paced the Yellow Jackets (5-6) with a career-high 23 points. Okogie scored 21 points in his third game for Tech, and Lammers added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Wright State senior guard Justin Mitchell went for 15 points and 10 rebounds.
BIG PICTURE
Wright State: The Raiders spread the ball beautifully in the second half while scoring 54 points. Eleven of their 20 assists came after halftime, and they shot 66.7 percent (18-of-27). Mitchell scored 11 after halftime.
Georgia Tech: For the second straight game, the Yellow Jackets imploded on defense. Normally Tech’s calling card, the Jackets allowed 54 points on 66.7 percent shooting after Georgia hit them with 71.4 percent shooting after intermission. Tech trailed 36-34 at halftime in that game before losing 80-59.
UP NEXT
Wright State will look to jump start themselves in the Horizon League when they play host to the University of Illinois-Chicago Thursday.
Georgia Tech has one non-conference game left before jumping into ACC action, and after a couple days off for the holiday the Yellow Jackets will welcome Coppin State to McCamish Pavilion on Wednesday. Tech will open league play Saturday at Notre Dame
